Baggage loader

ABSTRACT

Baggage loader apparatus mounted on the side of an elevated passenger walk-way, such as an airplane loading ramp, for receiving baggage from an access doorway in such loading ramp and depositing at ground level. The baggage loader includes an elongated closed ended chute extending alongside the walk-way, one extremity thereof being formed with a baggage receiving compartment having a side opening facing the walk-way for registration with the access doorway. Mounting means pivotally mounts the extremity of the chute opposite the one extremity from the walk-way and raising means is provided for selectively raising and lowering the free end of such chute whereby the chute may be raised to register its side opening with the access doorway for receipt of luggage to be deposited in such chute. Thereafter, the free end of the chute may be lowered to ground level for access thereto by baggage men for removal of the baggage from the side opening and such baggage will slide downwardly toward such side opening as pieces thereof are removed from such chute.

United States Patent [191 r Lodjic [451 Aug. '6, 1974 BAGGAGE LOADER Carl L. Lodjic, Long Beach, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Global Erectors, lnc., Long Beach,

Calif.

[22] Filed: June 8, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 368,194

[75] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl 214/505, 14/71, 214/77 R, 214/85 [51] Int. Cl B64d 9/00 [58] Field of Search 296/28 AL; 193/17; 14/71; 244/118 R, 118 P, 1.37 R, 137 P; 214/77 R,

Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan Assistant Examiner-Leslie J. Paperner Attorney, Agent, or FirmFulwider, Patton, Rieber, Lee & Utecht ABSTRACT Baggage loader apparatus mounted on the side of an elevated passenger walk-way, such as an airplane loading ramp, for receiving baggage from an access doorway in such loading ramp and depositing at ground level. The baggage loader includes an elongated closed ended chute extending alongside the walk-way, one extremity thereof being formed with a baggage receiving compartment having a side opening facing the walk-way for registration with the access doorway. Mounting means pivotally mounts the extremity of the chute opposite the one extremity from the walkway and raising means is provided for selectively raising and lowering the free end of such chute whereby the chute may be raised to register its side opening with the access doorway for receipt of luggage to be deposited in such chute. Thereafter, the free end of the chute may be lowered to ground level for access thereto by baggage men for removal of the baggage from the side opening and such baggage will slide downwardly toward such side opening as pieces thereof are removed from such chute.

11 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures BAGGAGE LOADER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to elevated airplane passenger loading ramps and more specifically to a loading ramp which enables passengers walking through such loading ramp to deposit their baggage in a chute to be lowered to ground level for removal therefrom by baggage agents on the ground for deposit in the baggage compartment of an aircraft being loaded.

2. Description of the Prior Art It has become common practice at modern day airports to provide elevated loading ramps projecting from airport terminals to mate on their projecting ends with the entry doors of aircraft for accommodating entry and departure of passengers from such doorways. Due to the safety regulations in general effect, passengers are frequently prevented from bringing any large articles of baggage or paraphernalia on board the airplane which cannot be stowed beneath the seats of such airplane. Consequently, late arriving passengers having baggage which must be loaded into the baggage compartment of the airplane have heretofore been frequently deprived of boarding a departing aircraft because of the lack of facilities for rapidly transferring their baggage to baggage agents at ground level and involved in the task of loading the baggage compartment of the aircraft. There are no prior art devices known to applicant which enables a late boarding passenger to conveniently deposit his baggage for rapid transfer to a baggage agent to be loaded quickly into the baggage compartment of the airplane thereby enabling both passenger and baggage to depart on the same aircraft without waiting for a subsequent flight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The baggage loading apparatus of the present invention is characterized by an elongated chute projecting longitudinally of an elevated airplane loading ramp and being pivotally mounted at one end thereto. The free extremity of the chute is formed with a side opening for registration with a mating doorway in the side wall of the loading ramp and raising means is provided for raising and lowering the free end of such chute for selective registration of the chute opening with the ramp opening for convenient deposit of baggage in such chute for transfer to ground level upon lowering of the chute for removal therefrom by baggage agents placing such baggage in the baggage compartment of the aircraft.

The objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a baggage loading apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are side elevational views of the baggage loading apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and depicting the free end of the baggage chute in its raised and lowered positions, respectively;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the baggage chute shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a partial side view, in enlarged scale, of the baggage loading apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a partial side view similar to FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the line 77 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7; FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken along the line 99 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line l0--10 of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is an elevational view, in enlarged scale, taken from the interior of the baggage loading apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The baggage loading apparatus of the present invention includes, generally, an elevated passenger ramp 21 having an access door 23 formed in the side wall thereof and having the free extremity of a baggage chute 25 disposed in confrontation therewith when such chute is in its elevated position, as shown in FIG. 2. The free extremity of the chute 25 is formed with a side opening 31 (FIG. 4) which is registered with the access door 23 when the ramp 25 is in its elevated position. Consequently, the ramp 25 may be raised to the position shown in FIG. 3 and baggage 33 (FIG. 4) carries into the ramp 21 by boarding passengers deposited through the access door 23 and opening 31 into the free extremity of such chute. After the chute 25 has been filled or the time of departure has arrived, the free extremity thereof may be lowered to ground level as shown in FIG. 3 and baggage agents will have access to the baggage 33 through the opening 31 so such baggage may be removed and deposited in the baggage compartment of the aircraft being loaded.

The loading ramp 21 is of conventional construction and is the type that projects from the second story of a terminal to have its free extremity supported by means of a truck, generally designated 35, which is maneuverable about to mate the doorway 37 of the ramp cab, generally designated 39, with the entry door of an aircraft.

The baggage chute 25 is of generally square crosssection and is in the form of an elongated tube which is bent overapproximately 15 at its free extremity to form a baggage receiving section 41 which has a baggage collection compartment 43 angling downwardly therefrom when such chute is in its elevated position shown in FIG. 3.

The end of the chute 25 opposite the baggage opening 31 is mounted from the underside of the loading ramp 21 by means of a horizontal journal assembly 49.

The free extremity of the chute 25 is raised and lowered by means of a chain 51 which is secured on one end to the free extremity of the chute 25 and projects upwardly therefrom to wrap over a sprocket mounted within a housing 53 and returned downwardly therefrom to be drawn inwardly under the ramp 21 and over a pulley 55 to be selectively wound on an electrically operated winch 57.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 9, the access door 23 is normally covered by a pair of overlying interior and exterior doors, generally designated 61 and 63. The interior door 61 is carried in a horizontal track for reciproca- A tion forwardly and rearwardly for selectively clearing the doorway 23. An interior handle 65 is mounted on the inside of such door 61 for grasping to selectively open and close such door.

The exterior door 63 is carried in a vertical track and has a projecting roller 67 mounted on the lower extremity thereof for selective engagement by the free extremity of the chute 25 when such chute is raised to automatically raise the door 63.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, it will be appreciated that both the interior and exterior doors 61 and 63, when open, are received within the dual walled shell of the ramp 21.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, 7 and 8, the free extremity of the chute 25 is formed with an arcuate vertically projecting web 71 which is selectively received within an arcuate vertically extending guide, generally designated 75, such guide including a pair of parallel plates 76 and 78 formed on their lower extremities with respective outwardly angled flares 77 and 79 which receive the web 71 and guide it upwardly into the passage formed between such plates 76 and 78 upon raising of the free extremity of the chute 25.

Referring to FIGS. 5, l and 11, the winch 57 (FIG. 2) is driven by an electric motor connected in series with a normally closed up-limit microswitch 81 mounted over the access doorway 23 for engagement by the exterior door 63 at the limit of its upper travel to open such switch. A normally open set microswitch 83 is mounted adjacent the vertical edge of the interior door 61 and is engaged thereby when such door is in its closed position to set the circuitry to the winch 57 for operation. A manual switch 85 is mounted on the side of the chute 25 within the baggage opening 31 for access thereto through the access door 23 when the chute is in its raised position shown in FIG. 2.

Carried from the free end of the chute 25 is a support strut, generally designated 91, which includes a telescopica] shock absorber having a wheel 93 mounted on the lower extremity thereof. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, mounted adjacent the male portion of the shock absorber 91 is a downlimit microswitch 97 which is engaged by the female portion of such shock absorber upon the full weight of the free extremity of the chute 25 being applied to such shock absorber thereby telescoping such shock absorber together and engaging the switch 97 to open such switch and discontinue energization of the winch 57.

In operation, the winch 57 will maintain the free extremity of the chute 25 in the elevated position shown in FIG. 2 while the ramp 21 is being mated with the doorway of the aircraft. Once the cab doorway 37 has been mated with the aircraft doorway, deplaning passengers from the aircraft may be unloaded and prior to subsequent loading of departing passengers, an operator may grasp the door handle 65 (FIG. 9) and retract the interior door 61 to open the baggage opening 23 so emplaning passengers may deposit their baggage through the access door 23 and baggage opening 31 into the baggage receiving compartment 41 of the chute 25. As such compartment 41 is filled, baggage may be pushed downwardly therefrom to slide along the collection compartment 43 to abut the barrier wall forming the lower end of such chute.

Once the collection compartment 43 has been filled or departure time has arrived, the interior door handle 65 may be grasped and the door 61 drawn to its closed position to engage its leading edge with the set microswitch 83 to close such switch thus readying the winch circuitry for operation of the winch 57. Depression of the down button 88 will then energize the winch to unwindthe chain 51 to lower the free extremity of the chute 25. As such free extremity is lowered, the exterior door 63 will be lowered therewith to cover the access door 23 thereby preventing opening thereof even if the inner door 61 is opened. As the free extremity of the chute 25 travels sownwardly the up-limit switch will close to ready the winch 57 for subsequent operation and as such chute reaches its lowered position shown in FIG. 3, the shock absorber 91 will be depressed thus telescoping the female portion thereof upwardly for engagement with the down-limit microswitch 97 to open such microswitch and discontinue energization of the winch 57 thereby discontinuing feedout of the chain 51.

Baggage agents working at ground level will then have convenient access through the baggage opening 31 to the baggage 33 located in the chute 25 for removal thereof and depositing in the baggage compartment of the aircraft.

The baggage agent may then push the up button 86 to energize the winch 57 in the reverse direction and raise the free extremity of the chute 25, it being appreciated that as such chute is raised, the web 71 (FIG. 3) will be received between the flares 77 and 79 (FIG. 7) to be guided into the track for stabilization of the free extremity of the chute 25 as it approaches its raised position. As the free extremity of the chute 25 continues upwardly, the top wall thereof will engage the roller 67 (FIGS. 5 and 9) thus raising the exterior door 63. When the free extremity of the chute 25 reaches its raised position, the up-limit microswitch 81 will be engaged thereby thus opening the circuit to the winch 57 and discontinuing operation thereof.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that applicant has provided a convenient and economical means for enabling baggage to be rapidly transferred from an elevated aircraft loading ramp to ground level where baggage agents may rapidly remove such baggage to the baggage compartment of the aircraft. With the advent of personal searching and other delaying procedures at busy airports, the advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent in assisting late arriving passengers in catching the flight for which they are late while assuring their baggage is loaded on the aircraft.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention may be made with regard to the foregoing detailed description without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. Baggage loader apparatus for receiving baggage from an access doorway in an elevated passenger walkway and comprising:

an elongated chute disposed adjacent said walkway and formed at both ends with baggage barriers, one extremity thereof being formed with a baggagereceiving compartment having a .side opening facing said walkway;

mounting means pivotally mounting the extremity of said chute opposite said one extremity to said walkway for shifting of said one extremity between an elevated loading position with said opening registered with said doorway and a lowered unloading position with said opening accessible from ground level; and raising means connected between said chute and walkway for raising and lowering said one extremity of said chute whereby said raising means may be actuated to raise said one extremity to said loading position and passengers passing along said walkway may deposit baggage in said chute and when said chute has been loaded said raising means may be actuated to lower said one extremity to said unloading position so workmen at ground level can unload said baggage from said chute. 2. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

a guideway mounted on said walkway; and a guide mounted on said one extremity and receivable in said guideway when said one extremity is raised to said loading position to guide said one extremity adjacent said walkway. 3. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

manually operable control means for controlling said raising means and including control switches mounted on said chute and accessible through said doorway when said chute is in said loading position and accessible from ground level when said chute is in said unloading position. 4. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

a walkway door normally covering said doorway; and

door opening means responsive to raising of said one extremity to open said door. 5. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 4 that includes:

track means on said walkway and mounting said door for vertical shifting and wherein: said door opening means includes projection means projecting from said door and into the path of said free extremity to cause said door to be raised to an open position when said chute is raised to said loading position. 6. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 4 that in cludes:

safety means responsive to opening of said door to render said raising means inoperable. 7. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said raising means includes lowering means operative to lower said one extremity and responsive to said one extremity reaching said unloading position to be rendered inoperative.

8. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 7 wherein:

said raising means includes means responsive to said chute reaching said loading position to render said raising means inoperative. 9. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 7 that includes:

a support strut engagable with the ground when said chute is in said unloading position; and said lowering means includes means responsive to loading of said strut to render said lowering means inoperative. 10. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

baggage positioning means operative when said chute is in said loading position to shift baggage from said one extremity toward the opposite extremity thereof and operative when said chute is shifted to said unloading position to shift said baggage from said opposite extremity toward said one extremity.

11. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 10 wherein:

said raising means is operative to raise said one extremity above the level of the opposite extremity when said chute is raised to said loading position to cause said chute to slope downwardly toward said opposite extremity so baggage placed therein will slide downwardly toward said opposite extremity and said raising means is operative to lower said free extremity below the level of said opposite extremity when said chute is lowered to said unloading position so said baggage will slide downwardly toward said one extremity. 

1. Baggage loader apparatus for receiving baggage from an access doorway in an elevated passenger walkway and comprising: an elongated chute disposed adjacent said walkway and formed at both ends with baggage barriers, one extremity thereof being formed with a baggage-receiving compartment having a side opening facing said walkway; mounting means pivotally mounting the extremity of said chute opposite said one extremity to said walkway for shifting of said one extremity between an elevated loading position with said opening registered with said doorway and a lowered unloading position with said opening accessible from ground level; and raising means connected between said chute and walkway for raising and lowering said one extremity of said chute whereby said raising means may be actuated to raise said one extremity to said loading position and passengers passing along said walkway may deposit baggage in said chute and when said chute has been loaded said raising means may be actuated to lower said one extremity to said unloading position so workmen at ground level can unload said baggage from said chute.
 2. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 1 that includes: a guideway mounted on said walkway; and a guide mounted on said one extremity and receivable in said guideway when said one extremity is raised to said loading position to guide said one extremity adjacent said walkway.
 3. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 1 that includes: manually operable control means for controlling said raising means and including control switches mounted on said chute and accessible through said doorway when said chute is in said loading position and accessible from ground level when said chute is in said unloading position.
 4. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 1 that includes: a walkway door normally covering said doorway; and door opening means responsive to raising of said one extremity to open said door.
 5. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 4 that includes: track means on said walkway and mounting said door for vertical shifting and wherein: said door opening means includes projection means projecting from said door and into the path of said free extremity to cause said door to be raised to an open position when said chute is raised to said loading position.
 6. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 4 that includes: safety means responsive to opening of said door to render said raising means inoperable.
 7. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 1 wherein: said raising means includes lowering means operative to lower said one extremity and responsive to said one extremity reaching said unloading position to be rendered inoperative.
 8. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 7 wherein: said raising means includes means responsive to said chute reaching said loading position to render said raising means inoperative.
 9. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 7 that includes: a support strut engagable with the ground when said chute is in said unloading position; and said lowering means includes means responsive to loading of said strut to render said lowering means inoperative.
 10. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 1 that includes: baggage positioning means operative when said chute is in said loading position to shift baggage from said one extremity toward the opposite extremity thereof and operative when said chute is shifted to said unloading position to shift said baggage from said opposite extremity toward said one extremity.
 11. A baggage loader as set forth in claim 10 wherein: said raising means is operative to raise said one extremity above the level of the opposite extremity when said chute is raised to said loading position to cause said chute to slope downwardly toward said opposite extremity so baggage placed therein will slide downwardly toward said opposite extremity and said raising means is operative to lower said free extremity below the level of said opposite extremity when said chute is lowered to said unloading position so said baggage will slide downwardly toward said one extremity. 